Grudges and Forgiveness
by N1as1
Summary: 19 years have passed since the last battle and the students of Hogwarts must help repair it before everything can be considered normal again. With each stonewall replaced, new secrets and feelings are discovered.


**Hello! First fanfic so please review and tell me what i can do better! :3 Please Enjoy!**

**D/C: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER, for if i did, Dobby and Fred would still be alive! :(**

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><p>Chapter 1:<p>

The white, fluffy snow fell softly over the small village hidden in the night, hush singing floated through the crisp air from the moonlit gothic church, the smell of holiday baking and pine wafts against the moving cloaked figure's nose as it limps toward a house that was once a pile of limber until recently. As it came closer to the wooden gate, it began to whisper enchantments in a horse voice and walked right through. Before it could reach the small cottage door, it slipped on the icy cobblestone. The cloaked figure curses harshly as it lands with dull thud to the ground. Long wispy hair that is almost as white as the snow around it escapes as the hood of the cloak flips back from the bone rattling impact and settles around an aged pale face. The pale blue eyes that once shined with power fill with involuntary emotion and pursed lips grimace as the figure picks itself up. Limping worse than before the cloaked figure makes it the rest of the way up the death-trap-path and bangs on the heavy wooden door with impatience. After a few seconds, the door swings open and warm air surrounds the guest with comfort and hospitality.

"Ah, Father! Welcome." A young man smiles warmly at his guest and steps aside, taking the wet cloak as the man steps inside.

"Draco? Who is at the door?" A disembodied voice calls from a room out of sight, "Is it Lucius?"

"Yes Harry, it is I." Lucius answers tiredly. The pitter-patter sound of small feet comes from the hallway and three children emerge running full speed at Lucius.

"Grandpa!" They screech happily "Did you get us presents?"

"I don't know have you three been good this year?" Lucius asks with a small smile.

"YES!" They all squeak with pride.

"Go look under the tree." The three run away, pushing and shoving each other out of the way as if that would seal their chance of getting the best gift.

"Honestly dear, you spoil them." A soft voice scolds playfully behind Lucius. He turns to see Narcissa standing by the door with her arms crossed.

"Mother, it is great to see you." Malfoy hugs and kisses her cheek. Lucius stands and she takes his arm.

"We will wait for you in the living room Draco?" Narcissa looks at her son, who nods in return. The couple moves slowly but gracefully to the other room. Draco places the cloaks up in the cupboard and makes his way into the kitchen.

"Is everyone here yet?" Harry asks as he flicks his wand around, making things chop or fly in the air. Draco dodges a large kettle.

"We are still waiting on Hagrid and McGonagall. But the Blaises, Weaslys, Longbottoms, and my family are all here." Draco wraps his arms around Harry's waist and kisses him on the cheek.

"I just talked to McGonagall, Hagrid and her are on their way and should be here any minute." Just as Harry speaks, a loud rumble disturbs the night air outside. "Speak of the devil." Harry smiles as a loud crash and squeal come from the front yard.

"Really Hagrid, must you land so quickly!" A shrill voice hissed by the door.

"Sorry 'am, ell no' used to da new 'orse power." A deep and rough voice answered a little embarrassed.

"Very well, just make sure it does not happen on our way back. The last thing I need is to be slapped by the bloody Whomping Willows." Harry and Draco both hold back chuckles as two shadows pass the window and a heavy fist knock on the door. If it were not for the thick oak, the door would be hanging off its hinges. Harry wipes his hands on the checker apron he has on and opens the door wide smiling.

"Hagrid, Professor McGonagall, so glad you could make it!" Harry hugs both of them and takes their cloaks.

"Thank you for having us Harry. Draco." McGonagall greets with a nod and Draco returns it.

"Blimey 'arry an' Draco, you have lovely 'ome. 'Ow ya doin'?" Hagrid smiles warmly at Draco and they clasp hands.

"I'm doing great Hagrid. Glad you could come." When Hagrid walks away to inspect the soup Harry was making, Draco waves his throbbing hand in the air, a look of pain twisting its way into his handsome features. Harry silently laughs at his husband's reaction and leads the rest of his guests to the living room with the others.

"Dinner will be served soon." Harry announces to the joyful faces in the room and turns back. "Is the table set for everyone?" He asks Draco, causing him to drop the spoon full of icing he was sneaking.

"Bloody hell Harry! Um… Yeah, everything is set." Draco looks at the mess on the floor sadly and takes a big glop of icing onto his finger.

"Make sure to leave some for the cake." Harry warns and takes out the roast. Draco grabs the carving knife and begins to slice it.

"How did I ever get so lucky?" Harry whispers into his ear and kisses his cheek.

"You saved me from a fire." Draco replies softly and kisses Harry fully.

_19 years earlier_

"Mr. Potter! Your assistance is needed in the potions lab. I will help out here." Professor McGonagall called from across the infirmary. Harry looked at Madam Pomfrey who just nodded and went back to healing the wounded student in front of them. Harry stood and made his way down to the dungeons, moving swiftly through rubble and cracks. He nodded to a few Gryffindors that had called out to him while repairing a wall with Mr. Flitwick. He opened the heavy cedar doors and stepped gingerly inside.

"Hello?" He called into the dark, cloudy room.

"Ah Harry my boy, Over here." Professor Slughorn called by his desk. "I was hoping you could help Mr. Draco and I out with this inventory cupboard." Harry walked over and stopped when he heard Malfoy's name. He squinted through the dust and saw the head of platinum hair. He rolled his eyes and continued his way.

"Now, Harry, take this clipboard and mark down each vial you see intact in this column," Professor Slughorn pointed out "and all vials you find that are broken in this one. Draco is doing the same. You two discus which side you want to work, I have to go make some more potions for Madame Pomfrey. I'll leave it up to you two." Mr. Slughorn squeezed his way between the two boys and made his way out of the classroom, arms full with bottles and cauldrons. Harry looked at Draco who was already climbing the small ladder.

"I will start up here, Potter, you start down there." Draco said with a voice of superiority.

"Whatever Malfoy." Harry snorted back picking up pieces of glass with labels still attached and marking their names down. They worked for an hour in silence before Harry became extremely bored. Harry decided to take a quick break when something came crashing down.

"Unicorn tits!" Malfoy hissed harshly, rubbing the back of his head that connected with the hard floor. Harry stared at Malfoy for a fraction of a second before what the blond had just said registered in his mind. Harry nearly doubled over laughing.

"Oh shut up Potter." Malfoy grumbled, picking himself off the floor.

"U-u-unicorn t-tits!" Harry strangled out "Out of all the things, Unicorn tits." What happened next threw Harry so far off his tracks that his laughter died in his throat. Malfoy was actually laughing with him. The Slytherin realized that Harry had stopped laughing and quickly controlled himself. The air became awkward forcing Malfoy to scurry back up the ladder with flawless agility. The two teens quickly finished the rest of their work and we just picking up when Malfoy decided to break the silence.

"Don't tell anyone about that Potter."

"About what?" Harry asked, honestly confused by the sudden request.

"About the unicorn tits thing and me laughing."

"Why?" Harry asked, a mischievous grin gracing his lips. This may be the best time to blackmail Malfoy for payback.

"If you do, it will ruin what reputation I still have." Malfoy said softly. Harry eyed him with surprise, for the second time of his life, he saw the vulnerable side of Malfoy.

"What does it matter? Voldemort was defeated and your parents were on the losing side. You have as much of a 'reputation' as any other Death Eater Slytherin child here."

"You're wrong!" Malfoy screamed at him, eyes filling with hate, pain, and tears? Malfoy shook his head. "My family has the Malfoy name, a name that was powerful even before The Dark Lord existed. As most suffer through poverty, we are still higher up. I still need to hold on to the shard of respect I have left, or else…"

"Or else what?" Harry asked with skepticism in his voice, "Who in the world do you need to prove yourself to?"

"My father." Malfoy answered with a shard of ice. He finished the sentence he was writing and left. Harry watched him leave, a heavy feeling weighed down his heart, something that felt close to sympathy.

Students and teachers filled into the great hall when the afternoon bell rang. Friends sat together at makeshift tables, everyone but most Slytherins ignoring the old house seating.

"Blimey, why did I get stuck with bathroom duty." Ron grumbled as Harry sat down.

"Really Ron, it couldn't have been that bad." Hermione scoffed.

"Oh not that bad Hermione? I don't think you can compare repairing books to wiping shit and blood of the stalls." Harry coughed into his drink.

"Thanks for that mental picture."

"Sorry mate."

"How was it in the infirmary Harry?" Hermione asked, trying to salvage the moment and everyone's appetite.

"It was going great until I was called out for potion inventory with Malfoy."

"Malfoy? That ferret is still here?" Ron asked looking around.

"Yeah unfortunately."

"Does he still have that posh attitude?" Hermione asked taking a bite of pumpkin pie.

"In a way." Harry said, his eyes looking past her shoulder to the table where a few Slytherins sat, a distinctive blond sat in the middle, obviously pretending to be listening to the complaints and insults Pansy was likely spewing. Their eyes locked momentarily and Harry could have sworn he saw something flicker in the blue eyes, but Malfoy looked away before he could be certain.

As pink, yellow, and red light filtered through the shattered glass of the castle the makeshift tables of the great hall were leaned against the side wall as kids of all ages grabbed their floor bunks and blankets from a pile and set them in neat rows in the middle of the room. Harry was setting up his bunk next to Ron and Hermione when he felt a prickling sensation claw its way up his spine. The other students seemed to have felt the same thing. Heads of blond, black, and brown looked around the great room, and air of uneasiness making its way through shared thoughts. The castle fell quiet for a matter of seconds before a scream shattered it. Everyone instantly began to panic. Students began to make their way out the great hall but Professor McGonagall's shrill voice made them freeze.

"STOP. Good. Every one please stay in here. Professor Slughorn and Madame Pomfrey please come with me." The selected teacher followed the headmistress out, worry apparent on their faces.

"What do you think is going on?" Hermione asked Harry and Ron.

"I don't know, but Malfoy seems to want to find out." Harry said as he saw the blond slip through the doors. "Come on." He said and got up. The three friends looked around to make sure they were not to be spotted and slipped into the hallway. Harry caught a flash of blond hair turn a corner and silently ran after it with the other following at his heels.

"Harry, I think I know where he is going." Hermione whispered to him with unease.

"I think so to." Harry only hoped he was wrong. Harry, Ron, and Hermione flattened themselves to the wall, peeked around the final corner, and watched Malfoy open the Room of Requirements. Flames leaped out at him, but instead of closing the door, he ran head first into the fire.

"Stay here." Harry ordered and ran after Malfoy ignoring the cries of his best friends. The door closed behind him and smoke filled his vision. He squinted through the flames and spotted a flicker of robes just ahead. He ran toward them, dodging the hungry fire's flames.

"H-help me." He heard a choked cry and saw Malfoy kneeling next to a boy he recognized as Blaise.

"It's okay Blaise, I'll get you out. Can you walk?"

"N-no I think I hit a cursed object, I can't feel my legs." Harry heard Malfoy grunt as he pulled Blaise up but a trunk engulfed in flames was crashing down toward them.

"_Donec ques!_" Harry waved his wand and a shield surrounded the boys as the trunk fell. Malfoy looked up and saw Potter.

"What the hell are you doing here, Potter?" Malfoy yelled with annoyance.

"Making sure your idiot asses don't die." Harry retorted and made his way to them. He grabbed the now unconscious Blaise on his left and helped hoist him. "Let's go."

Malfoy and Harry dragged the teen closer to the door when the piles of things around began to collapse. Harry pushed Malfoy and Blaise towards the door and charmed a shield around him just in time.

All Harry could see was fire. There was fire in front of him, behind him, to his sides, and above. He couldn't move without risking the shield failing, nor could he keep it up for much longer.

'Well I defeated the greatest evil out there, and now I'm going to die by fire. FML.' He thought bitterly. He decided that he might as well give up and was about to release the shield when he saw the firey things in front of him blast away. He lowered the shield and ran through the opening that was created and nearly toppled Malfoy in the process.

"Malfoy? What…"

"There is no time for questions Potter, let's go!" Malfoy grabbed his wrist and weaved their way to the door. The boys crashed through it, flipping into the safe hallway. Harry felt himself land on something soft.

"Get. Off. Potter." Malfoy hissed from under him.

"S-sorry." Harry rolled over, panting heavily.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy! What on Earth…" They heard McGonagall's voice call them and knew they were screwed.


End file.
